Obviously, I do not own Naruto. If I did, I would have a lot more money…
AN: I know, I haven't submitted anything in a very long time, but I just graduated from college this week, and this story has been stuck in my head for a long time. The first few chapters are going to be short since they are focusing on back story and other's POVs. Like I said, it's been a long time, so please let me know what you think :)
She had been missing for almost seven months. The entire village was worried sick. Countless teams were sent out in search of her with only a small amount of information to go on. She had been sent out on a solo mission to a small village on the border of Fire and Lightening. A virus was wreaking havoc on the villagers, and she had been sent to save them. Unfortunately, she never arrived. From the moment Tsunade realized her apprentice was missing, there were always at least three ANBU teams searching for her at any given time.
Twenty-seven weeks after her disappearance, she was found. Her pink locks and pale skin were stained crimson. The entire right side of her face was undistinguishable due to the amount of blood that covered it. Her clothes ripped and cut to the point she was barely covered. Her bare feet were covered in blisters. The signs of torture were obvious to the ANBU.
The team that found her stated that she had been walking through the woods as if in a trance. She never acknowledged the ANBU team as they attempted to get her to stop. Instead, she continued heading towards Konoha with a faraway look in her only visible eye while she constantly repeated, "I have to make it home. I have to tell them."
In an attempt to get her to stop, one of the ANBU stepped in front of her and placed his hands on her shoulders. It worked… The moment he laid his hands upon her, she let out a horrified scream and collapsed. The ANBU whom stopped her gathered her in his arms, and the team rushed her to Konoha.
Once they made it into the village, the ANBU carrying her headed for the hospital while the other two went to report to the Hokage. During his rush to get the unconscious kunoichi to the hospital, many villagers saw the young woman in his arms. Within an hour, the majority of the village had heard that Konoha's cherry blossom had returned dead in the arms of an ANBU…